2+2 talks: How India and US agreed to differ on Ukraine war

New Delhi : Days before their meeting, Mr Biden had called India’s stand “somewhat shaky” and one US official had warned that India had been informed that the consequences of a “more explicit strategic alignment” with Moscow would be “significant and long-term”.

But India stood firm in its stand despite what appeared to be growing pressure from the US. Delhi continued to promote dialogue to end the war. It didn’t criticise Russia directly but chose some strong words about the need to respect the sovereignty of each nation.

In that backdrop, the leaders’ summit – which was not planned and was requested by the White House – is significant for geopolitical developments.

It was followed by the planned annual 2+2 Dialogue between Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and their US counterparts Antony Blinken and Lloyd Austin in Washington.

It’s evident from the statements that both sides have shown willingness to understand each other’s positions on Ukraine.